trust you've got a game plan

[isawallflower]

[ At noon on Wednesday, Riley's standing ready in the dining hall, with a clipboard and a big smile to anyone who shows up. She's set blank stacks of paper on the table, but we'll get to that. As promised, there's some basic snacks as well as some tasty banana bread. Snacks for everyone! ]

Welcome everyoooone~! Thank you so much for showing up. This is a new and confusing experience for all of us, but I'm sure if we strive to stick together and cooperate, it'll help us foster the most productive environment that we can. [ Bright, bright smile. ] So! I've gathered all of you so we can share any discoveries and compare basic information that might give us any idea of why we've been brought here. Good? Okaaaay!

[ That smile never leaves her face. She sets something down from her clipboard and starts passing out that blank paper. ]

Sooo, following my example, if you could fill this out, that...can be a good starting discussion!

[ Her example is essentially a survey. Wonderful penmanship, again. ]

Comments

[redjoker]

Name: Jonny D'Ville
Hometown: New Texas
Last Known Date: No fucking idea, time doesn't exist in space
What You Last Remember Doing: Leaving the ruins of New Constantinople
Anyone You Know Here: No
Previous Knowledge Of The Phantom: None except I've got a bullet ready for him as soon as I get a real gun in my hands

[isawallflower]

[ She doesn't want to ask. She doesn't want to ask. She doesn't want to-- ]

Why is it New Texas?

[ She asked. ]

[redjoker]

[A shrug.]

Just "Texas" was taken even I'm not sure it even exists anymore. No one ever claimed humanity was clever with its naming conventions.

[He also sounds very English and not Texan in the least but he's also dressed like he stepped out of a Steampunk Firefly reboot so.]

[isawallflower]

[ She hates part of that answer? She really does. But his outfit does actually reassure her that Things Just Be Weird Sometimes and she's probably going to have to accept that. ]

Right. Do you have...any kind of metric for what year it was, at all, or...?

[redjoker]

[He chuckles like she's just said something funny, folding his arms behind his head as he leans back in his chair.]

Time's a funny thing, Riley. Be around for enough of it and it all just sort of blurs together until something interesting turns up.

For example getting kidnapped and locked in an opera house with a mostly teenage band of misfits full of spunk and enotional issues.

[isawallflower]

[ She kind of hates those programs. Riley doesn't like this guy addressing her all familiar-like, but she fixes a scowl to her face. ]

You talk like you've "been around" for a long time.

[redjoker]

Give or take a few centuries. Like I said, it's easy to lose track after the first hundred years or so.

[isawallflower]

How...do you just stay alive like that?

[ being a normal teenager here is suffering ]

[redjoker]

[He moves one arm from behind his head and lightly taps the left side of his chest, just over his heart. There's an odd lump there, lightly protruding from underneath his tan vest.]

S'called a Mechanism. We all have them in one way or another, me and my crew. They keep us running and bring us back if we happen to die in our...misadventures. [Or when your name is Gunpowder Tim and you says something stupid and need to be shot in the head.]

[isawallflower]

[ She tries to hold it back, but she can't help it: Riley lets out one tiny, surprised shriek, then immediately covers her mouth.

Muffled, through her hands: ] Oh.

[redjoker]

[Ah yes, it's been a while since he got that reaction.]

I'm guessing you don't get many immortal space pirates in- [He glances at her survey.] "Saratoga Springs"?

[isawallflower]

[ Recover. Stay in control. It's fine! Riley swallows down her nerves and doesn't look at the flesh blob thing. ]

We- we don't get immortal space pirates on Earth at all.

cw: very very mild gore in link

[redjoker]

Shame. We really know how to liven up a planet, if I do say so myself. [Jonny...Jonny, you and your crew frequently burn down planets when you get bored.

To his credit though, he does shift his vest to cover his Mechanism in his chest again. That kind of reaction is only really only fun once anyway.]

One of the crew, Gunpowder Tim- he was originally from Earth. Have you all had to deal with the Moon Kaiser yet?

[isawallflower]

[ Thanks She Hates It! ]

What? No, no, we don't- we've gone to space, we've got drones on Mars, but besides that there's no interstellar interaction.

[redjoker]

Ah. I wouldn't worry about it then.

He shouldn't get an iron grip on the moon and threaten London for a few thousand more years, give or take.

[isawallflower]

[ . . . . ]

Okaaaay, great~!!!! I'll just not think about that!!